The Most Precious Stone
by CrypticMoonFang
Summary: Although still within the confines of the Blu Bird Sanctuary, smugglers have managed to slip in and take Blu, leaving Jewl to take care of their eggs by herself. Blu/Jewl


~Chapter 1~

I remember the last time I saw him. My dearest Blu... I know he loved me, I know why he had to leave me behind... I know why he had to hurt me... But it hadn't helped me at all. My heart was still aching, still yearning for his loving touch. All I wanted right now was to see his face, popping through the tree hole with a huge smile, telling me he'd discovered yet another fruit of the rainforest. The last fruit he'd found was a starfruit. He had enjoyed both its name and its flavor.

_I flapped my wings as hard as I could, quickly catching up to him. He was stuck in a cage trap. This time he couldn't outsmart his way out of it. It was locked down tight and there wasn't much time. I had to get him out before something dangerous happened. Before a predator got him and before the smugglers took him away. Whichever came first._

_I clung to the side of his cage, searching for a way, any way, to free him. I needed him and he knew it. But soon we heard leaves rustling and people talking. Twigs crunched under their feet. They were getting closer by the second. They couldn't take him. I wouldn't let them take him away from me!_

_I bit down as hard as my body would let me on one of the metal bars._

_"Jewl, stop!" he yelled. "You have to go!"_

_I ignored him and pulled on the bar. No...they were getting closer..._

A tear ran down my face.

_"I said go!" Blu continued._

_And I continued to ignore his desperate pleas. They were so close now, we could see their head just above the forest shrubbery._

If only I had tried harder... I could've saved him... He would still be here, right beside me. He would be here keeping me company. It was all my fault. I should have never let him land on the threatening forest floor to let him pick off an easy, nearby meal. but I had let him go down there. I had let him get caught by bird smugglers. Now I had no idea where he was, or even if he was still alive.

_"Jewl, listen to me! Get out of here NOW!" he screamed._

I sniffled and tried to stay focused. If the smugglers were still here, then I couldn't alight on the forest floor either. I was the only one left to protect my home. Our home.

_Panicking, Blu crushed his beak on one of my toes that gripped the cage. I screeched in agony and let go. My foot was bleeding. The smugglers were almost here. Now it was too late. I couldn't save him even if I wanted to._

_I started crying, but didn't dare climb back onto the cage. _

_"Jewl, please... It's stupid to stay here. You know why you have to go. You know why you can't get caught," he told me softly. _

_Blu gave me his best smile and shooed me away. I at least wanted one last kiss from him._

But all I had was one of his cerulean feathers as my only memento. I kept it in the corner of our tree hole, where I could see it every day. It was his feather. He'd pulled it off right before the smugglers arrived to take him away. By then I had taken up his parting gift and fled, finally heeding his commands. I wasn't normally one to listen to birds who opposed my ideals, but given the circumstances, I had no real choice. He hadn't left me with a choice, just a feather.

A feather and a haunting memory of strangers carrying him away, taking him to a place beyond my knowledge. I knew I wouldn't be able to find him now.

A small yellow bird fluttered up and landed on the rim of the hole.

"Nico," I said. "How are you?"

A familiar voice answered for him. "The real question is, how are _you_?"

I shifted, trying to make myself more comfortable. Pedro landed next to his friend. They were amazing friends, loyal not just to Blu, but to me as well. They had been the ones taking care of me all this time, ever since Blu disappeared. For the first two weeks, they had tried to find him, but to no avail. A few of the birds they'd talked to had seen him, but they didn't know where he was at. And by now it didn't matter who had seen him. They'd most likely loaded him onto a plane. He was most likely in a different continent. Maybe even halfway around the world.

"I miss him," I murmured.

"Oh... Jewl, I'm sure he's missing you, too," Nico sympathized.

Pedro agreed. "How much you want to bet he's flying back here as we speak! You know how he is, Jewl. He'll be back, don't you worry."

Oh, if only that were true. But not even Blu could let himself out of that cage, and any other birds he was with were in cages of their own. Nobody was able to help him now. He was gone this time, forever. And I was left behind. Alone, without a mate.

"Are you hungry?" Nico asked. "I found some starfruit. Blu liked it, so I figured you might want some."

I shook my head. "Thanks, but I'm not hungry."

"Jewl," Pedro said in a demanding voice, "you have to eat. You've barely eaten since Blu left. I think he would want to _not_ starve yourself."

"He's right, you need to eat. You only ate one little piece of grapefruit yesterday, and you haven't eaten anything today! Blu wouldn't want this, that's why he made you go," Nico agreed, and rather vehemently I might add.

"Actually, he made me go because of these." I stood up to reveal three white ovals nestled comfortably in a nest made of sticks, dried grass, and finally feathers. "I was pregnant when he left, and he didn't want me to get caught. He wanted me and the eggs to be safe."

I puffed out my feathers and lowered myself gently back onto the eggs before letting my feathers settle again, my plume acting as a sort of blanket for the eggs. They wouldn't hatch anytime soon; I'd just laid them a few days ago. Blu never got to see them. And he probably never would. It was a soul-shattering blow to me. I couldn't leave the nest too often because Blu wasn't here to look after the eggs while I was gone, so I hadn't been able to eat very much. In fact, my whole body begged me daily to stretch out and fly around for a little bit. Unfortunately, though, it was springtime and it had been raining constantly, chilling the air to a humid and cold temperature. The eggs would die if I didn't stay on them all the time. And it wasn't like a male could incubate very well. I couldn't leave them with Eva since she already had her wings tied with two more eggs and and eighteen chicks. And I didn't have the heart to ask the happy-go-lucky Pedro and Nico to bring me food whenever I needed it.

I noticed that Pedro's lower jaw had dropped.

"Okay, I did _not_ see that coming," he said.

Nico had a very different response, smiling as if he knew the whole time. "Congratulations, Jewl. They're as beautiful as you are." He must've figured out that this was the most believable reason they didn't see me around anymore. It would make sense because between the two friends, Nico was the smartest.

I smiled. "You're sweet, Nico."

I shifted myself again. It wasn't easy sitting on these eggs, even though they were only the size of a walnut. They were pure white and much, much smaller than I was. It still didn't make it comfortable though. This was where Blu could come in handy. I could give myself a break while he took over and continued incubation. Although, not for too long. He was a male macaw, and only females could properly regulate the temperature of the eggs. While Blu could've provided enough body heat to keep them warm, unless I were to come back, his warmth wouldn't be enough and the eggs would get too cold to live. But at least I would be able to spread my wings, and at least he would be able to bring me some fruit while I incubated. Not only that, but at least he would be able to guard the nest.

"Hey, I have an idea!" Pedro declared. "Why don't we work together to keep the eggs warm while you go eat?"

"Oh, guys, I don't know. The air's been chilly lately and-"

Nico held up one of his wings and hushed me. "Don't worry, we're two birds with perfectly designed feathers. Those eggs will be fine while you're gone."

I smiled, still a little reluctant to leave my eggs behind. Then again, if I just sat there starving myself to death, it would do anyone any good. Hesitating at first, I stood up and stepped down from my warm nest. The feathers that lined the nest would be very effective at insulating the underside of the little white shells. Inside them life was forming, sparking amazing transformations from one microscopic egg cell surrounded by yolk, to tiny living birds that would break out of their protection to rely on their mother's protection.

"Make sure you're gentle with them, and no roughhousing," I told them as they marveled at those which were once inside me. I didn't want to be mean or rude or anything, but I had to lay down some kind of rules or the next thing I saw could be yellow goop everywhere.

But...they should be okay. I mean, the eggs were only the size of a walnut, and Pedro certainly had the blubber to produce massive amounts of heat while Nico would make sure the eggs stayed safe.

I leapt onto the rim and jumped out, spreading my wings for the first time in forever and taking flight in what seemed like too long a time. Flying had always spelled freedom for me, but this was so relaxing! I could already hear my muscles thanking me sincerely and repeatedly for the exercise. And I missed feeling the wind flowing throughout my feathers. And as a bonus, the cold air made me feel alive again. Felt like I had hardly lived until now. This was the best flight of my life, even better than the first time I flew.

But the excitement and rush didn't last forever. I was really hungry, and the hunger killed the free feeling I had. I began my search for some kind of fruit. This was my first time out since I'd laid the eggs. Well, I'd been out before, but only to pick up the nearest meal and swiftly come back. But now that I had someone, two birds actually, watching over my soon-to-be family, I felt obliged to treat myself to something special. Maybe a mango. I hadn't had a mango in an eternity! Yes, the meal was decided right then. I would have a delicious, juicy mango. And maybe a pomegranate or a papaya. And maybe if I was lucky enough, I could find a coconut, bite a little hole in it, and sip out the milk. But for now a mango would do. For some reason that specific fruit was what I wanted most right now, and if I had the time, I would try to go after that coconut milk.

It didn't take long to find a mango tree, especially considering that I knew this forest inside and out. I swear, I'd never bitten into a more delicious fruit in my entire life. It only took a few minutes for that thing to be devoured. I was unable to find a ripe coconut, so I headed back home.


End file.
